Filed: Feb. 09, 1999
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: F I L E D United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FEB 9 1999 FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT PATRICK FISHER Clerk NITA J. SEGRAVES, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. No. 98-6157 (D.C. No. 96-CV-2102) KENNETH S. APFEL, Commissioner, (W.D. Okla.) Social Security Administration, Defendant-Appellee. ORDER AND JUDGMENT * Before ANDERSON , KELLY , and LUCERO , Circuit Judges. Plaintiff-appellant Nita J. Segraves appeals the district court’s judgment affirming the final decision by the
Summary: F I L E D United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FEB 9 1999 FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT PATRICK FISHER Clerk NITA J. SEGRAVES, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. No. 98-6157 (D.C. No. 96-CV-2102) KENNETH S. APFEL, Commissioner, (W.D. Okla.) Social Security Administration, Defendant-Appellee. ORDER AND JUDGMENT * Before ANDERSON , KELLY , and LUCERO , Circuit Judges. Plaintiff-appellant Nita J. Segraves appeals the district court’s judgment affirming the final decision by the C..
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F I L E D
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FEB 9 1999
FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT
PATRICK FISHER
Clerk
NITA J. SEGRAVES,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v. No. 98-6157
(D.C. No. 96-CV-2102)
KENNETH S. APFEL, Commissioner, (W.D. Okla.)
Social Security Administration,
Defendant-Appellee.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
Before ANDERSON , KELLY , and LUCERO , Circuit Judges.
Plaintiff-appellant Nita J. Segraves appeals the district court’s judgment
affirming the final decision by the Commissioner of Social Security denying
plaintiff’s application for supplemental security income benefits. 1
Because the
*
This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the
doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court
generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order
and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
1
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously to grant the parties’ request for a decision on the briefs without oral
argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(f); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore
ordered submitted without oral argument.
Commissioner’s decision is supported by substantial evidence and no legal errors
occurred, we affirm.
The application for benefits filed in February 1994, alleges an inability to
work after April 5, 1991, due to back and hip pain and low mental functioning.
On consideration of the application, an administrative law judge (ALJ)
determined that plaintiff could perform her former work and thus was not
disabled. The Appeals Council denied review, making the ALJ’s decision the
final decision of the Commissioner. The district court affirmed.
Plaintiff argues to us that the Commissioner’s decision is legally infirm and
is not supported by substantial evidence. She insists that she cannot perform her
past relevant work because she has never been capable of performing substantial
gainful employment; that the ALJ erred in finding plaintiff physically and
mentally capable of performing her past work; and that the Medical-Vocational
Guidelines require a finding that plaintiff is disabled.
We review the Commissioner's decision to determine whether it is
supported by substantial evidence and whether correct legal standards were
applied. See Hawkins v. Chater ,
113 F.3d 1162, 1164 (10th Cir. 1997).
“Substantial evidence is ‘such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might
accept as adequate to support a conclusion.’” Soliz v. Chater ,
82 F.3d 373, 375
(10th Cir. 1996) (quoting Richardson v. Perales ,
402 U.S. 389, 401 (1971)
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(further quotation omitted)). We may neither reweigh the evidence nor substitute
our judgment for that of the Commissioner. See Casias v. Secretary of Health &
Human Servs. ,
933 F.2d 799, 800 (10th Cir. 1991).
We have carefully reviewed the record on appeal, as well as the briefs
submitted by the parties. Applying the standards set out above, we affirm the
denial of supplemental security income benefits for substantially the reasons
stated in the magistrate judge’s November 7, 1997 report and recommendation, as
adopted by the district court’s February 5, 1998 order.
The judgment of the United States District Court is AFFIRMED.
ENTERED FOR THE COURT
Carlos F. Lucero
Circuit Judge
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